Providing your pet with a good home is the first step to a long,healthy, active life. There are THREE key areas that require your diligent oversight. These are: Maintaining a healthy weight, Employing good dental health practices, Providing appropriate exercise.

Weight Maintenance

Did you know that the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention estimates that up to 58% of cats and 54% of dogs are obese? The Association for Pet Obesity Prevention (APOP) is comprised of professionals from the veterinary medical community, veterinary schools, and state and local veterinary organizations. APOP has a great website located at www.petobesityprevention.org. You will find a Pet Human Weight Translator, information on Pet Calorie Needs, a Weight Check section and information on Ideal Weight Ranges for Pets along with other great information. Obesity is the cause of many diseases in our companion animals and shortens their lives. Spend some time on the site to increase your knowledge and take better care of your companion animal. Did you know that the average 20 lb. dog only requires 500 k calories to sustain body weight? Be kind to your pets – Don’t over feed! APOP has weight loss tips if your best buddy needs to shed a few pounds!

Dental Hygiene

Prevention of oral disease in pets consists of frequent removal of the dental plaque and tartar that form on teeth that are not kept clean. Regularly brushing your pet’s teeth is the single most effective thing you can do to keep their teeth healthy between dental cleanings, and may reduce the frequency or even eliminate the need for periodic dental cleaning by your veterinarian. Daily brushing is best, but it’s not always possible and brushing several times a week can be effective. Most dogs accept brushing, but cats can be a bit more resistant – patience and training are important.
Here’s a link to explain the importance of pet dental hygiene and how to go about working with your dog or cat to develop a regular dental routine: https://youtu.be/wB3GIAgrTPE.

Proper Exercise

The most common job for our companion dogs today is Couch Potato! They no longer have to earn their keep and instead have to adjust to our more sedentary lifestyles. The same goes for our feline friends. Our pets get their food for free in a bowl and are often confined, alone and inactive, for most of the day. This lack of purpose leaves dogs no outlet for their naturally active tendencies-physical and mental-and it contributes to the development of behavior problems. Regular exercise and play exercise help to keep felines mentally alert and avoid weight gain.

These two videos are from a local news station somewhere in the US and feature a local veterinarian on good feline care. Worth a view…

These two videos discuss exercise for dogs. The first is a good basic presentation while the second shows how a training class and proper execution of “tricks” provide good exercise while strengthening and stretching our canine buds.